Page 128 of Cowboy's Last Stand
Gabe swallowed a few times, his skinny throat working.It was clear he hadn’t known about the security system.His gaze rose to the camera in the corner of the interrogation room, which was recording every word he said.Wade had informed him about the process when he’d read him his rights.
“Why don’t you tell us about last night?”Detective Schmidt offered.“Start at the beginning.”
For a moment, Wade thought Gabe might refuse to talk or ask for a lawyer like Jason Reed.Then Gabe began to speak in a dull voice.“Billy came by Luna’s around ten.He was with London and Jena.”
“Was this a planned outing?”
“No.”
“But you agreed to go with them.”
“Yes.”
“Where did you go?”
“Billy’s place.We were hanging out, you know, partying.We’d just finished a joint when London said her drink tasted funny.”
“What was she drinking?”
“Rum and coke.Both girls had one.”
“Who made it?”
“Billy.”
“Were you drinking, Gabe?”
“Beer, from a can I opened myself.”
They waited for him to continue.
“I figured… well, I suspected Billy had put something in the drinks.I knocked the glass out of London’s hand and pretended I was mad at her.”
“Why didn’t you tell her what you suspected?”
“Because Billy was a psycho,” he said shortly.“I wanted to get them out of there.”
Wade dragged a hand down his face but said nothing.Gabe was finally telling the truth, ugly and unvarnished.
“Did the girls leave?”
“Yes.”
“Then what?”
“I found a pill bottle in the kitchen.Billy caught me putting it in my pocket.All the sudden, he had his gun out, and he was pointing it at me.”Gabe stared at the wall behind the interview table, his expression grim.“I threw a bottle of rum at him, but he ducked.I couldn’t get away, so I just tackled him.Then we were on the floor, wrestling.The barrel of the gun was near my face, and I think I shoved it away at the same time Billy pulled the trigger.He was trying to shoot me, but he… missed.”
“He shot himself?”Detective Schmidt said.
“On accident, yeah.”
“When did you gain control of the gun?”
“After he dropped it.He slumped forward, and his head was, you know.”
Wade knew.
“Did you fire the weapon?”
